IF THE major issue at the Volvo Masters at Valderrama this week concerns who will top the PGA European Tour's money list for 2008, with four players still mathematically in with a chance, the side issues are no less intriguing. Also on the line are automatic places into US and British Opens, as well as invitations to the WGC-CA championship.
For players like Rory McIlroy who are on an upward graph and chomping at the bit for automatic places in the majors, it is weeks like this one in the south of Spain that shape fledgling careers: the top-15 on the Order of Merit will receive places in the field for the US Open at Bethpage next June, while the top-30 get into the British Open at Turnberry. The top-20 on the money list after Valderrama will get into the elite, limited-field CA tournament, part of the World Golf Championship series of events.
McIlroy (35th on the money list) and Peter Lawrie (38th) are within striking distance of forcing their way into the automatic spots for the British Open, but would require exceptionally strong performances in this season-ending tournament, finishing in the top-three, to get a place at Bethpage.
However, for Paul McGinley (22nd) and Damien McGrane (28th), that quest to add the US Open to their itineraries is much a realistic one.
An unprecedented seven Irish players - Pádraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell, Darren Clarke, McGinley, McGrane, McIlroy and Lawrie - have qualified for the €4.35 million Volvo Masters, which has a field of just 57 players and no cut.
Going into this week, there are four players with mathematical chances to win the Harry Vardon trophy, awarded to the tour's leading money earner. Robert Karlsson, who has won two of his last three tournaments, is in pole position going into the last counting event, but Harrington, Lee Westwood and, less likely, Miguel Angel Jimenez all have the chance to catch and overtake the Swede.
Karlsson has had 12 top-10 finishes on the European Tour this season, highlighted by back-to-back wins in the Mercedes-Benz Championship and the Dunhill Links, and also secured three top-10 finishes in the season's majors.
Harrington is Karlsson's closest pursuer, some €297,425 adrift. This week's winner, though, will get €708,000, so the chase is not yet over, especially for Harrington.
Valderrama has been a rather frustrating course in the past for Harrington, although last year's tied-fourth finish, his best at the course, would suggest he has finally found a way to master it.
"I've improved my ability to find the fairways on that golf course," admitted Harrington. "Over the years I've found the odd time I missed the likes of the 14th, the 16th, and the eighth was another one. Every time you miss those fairways, even though they're short holes, you're nearly taking bogey.
"My better play over the last couple of years is that I'm hitting those fairways, since I put a hybrid into may bag, and that's the reason I'm scoring better," added Harrington, who got much of his preparatory work in over the weekend after flying out to Spain early. It's a measure of his intent to cap an extraordinary season by also challenging for the money title he last won in 2006.
The Volvo Masters will be first tournament of a three-week stint that will bring an end to his year's work. He is playing in next week's HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai, which starts the 2009 European Tour campaign, and the following week's Barclays Singapore Open on the Asian Tour.
The Dubliner has decided not to play in the Chevron World Challenge (formerly the Target), which Tiger Woods hosts. Luke Donald, who has been out of action since injuring a wrist at the US Open in June and who underwent surgery in August, will make his competitive reappearance there.
Camilo Villegas has confirmed he is joining the European Tour for 2009 and will play in Shanghai, the start of the "Race to Dubai" that replaces the Volvo Masters as the tour's season-ending tournament.
"I've always wanted to play around the world, but if you're not in the top-50 (on the world rankings), then that is almost impossible . . . but I've managed to crack the top-10 and the maths becomes a little easier."
However, Dubliner Stephen Browne, who has moved between the European Tour and the Challenge Tour since turning professional in 2002, has confirmed that he is leaving the paid ranks. Browne, a former winner of the Kazakhstan Open, finished 118th on the Challenge Tour money list this season and has decided to swap life on tour for a job in the financial sector. He is to seek the reinstatement of his amateur status.
On the US Tour, Cameron Beckman won the Frys.com Open at the second extra hole after a final-round 63 forced a play-off with overnight leader Kevin Sutherland. Beckman made up three strokes on Sutherland at Grayhawk Golf Club in Arizona to finish tied on 18-under-par for the tournament, a shot clear of Australia's Matthew Goggins.
The victory was Beckman's second on the PGA Tour, following his win in Mississippi in 2001.
FRYS.COM OPEN (at Grayhawk GC Raptor Course, Scottsdale, Arizona): Leading final scores (US unless stated, par 72): 262 - Cameron Beckman 69 66 64 63 (Beckman won at the second play-off hole), Kevin Sutherland 67 66 63 66; 263 - Mathew Goggin (Aus) 69 63 68 63; 266 - Arron Oberholser 65 64 71 66, J J Henry 65 69 68 64, Mike Weir (Can) 66 68 69 63; 267 - Michael Sim (Aus) 72 63 68 64, Pat Perez 71 66 67 63, Paul Goydos 70 62 66 69, Steve Allan (Aus) 67 63 68 69; 268 - Aaron Baddeley (Aus) 67 70 66 65, George McNeill 68 63 66 71, Davis Love III 69 67 67 65, Woody Austin 69 65 65 69, Brenden Pappas (Rsa) 69 69 64 66, Bob Tway 69 67 64 68; 269 - Sean O'Hair 68 65 69 67, Billy Mayfair 69 64 68 68.
